Animated over Drayman’s legacy

As I look over the 58 years I have lived in Glendale, these past 12 years have seen this “Jewel City” change from great to mediocre.

John Drayman convinced his colleagues to spend thousands of dollars with an outside consulting firm to change the city slogan from “The Jewel City” to “Get Animated.” Whatever happened to that peculiar idea? I am sure if we needed a name change, students from our local schools could have had a slogan contest and come up with a name the community would have embraced. Instead, we have the memory of John Drayman.

When Drayman became the mayor, he turned on his supporters by moving public comment to the end of council business when the viewing audience would be less. I believe it was to silence the influence of council critics. Mayor Dave Weaver now wants to further lessen council critics’ influence by changing public comment to three minutes or less.

Developers generally look for the best deals from council members and staff, but the Advanced Development and Investment Co. (ADI) scandal took the cake. ADI made independent contributions to council candidates. Drayman not only received campaign money from ADI subcontractors, but also a remodeled condo without taking out building permits until caught.

Council members have sat on their hands and remain silent on Drayman’s dubious and problematic past from the Montrose farmers market scandal to the ADI scandal. Are they worried they’ll be indicted?

Mike Mohill
Glendale